Filmmaking

In Aspects of the Novel, novelist E.M. Forster wrote, “The king died and then the queen died. The king died and then the queen died of grief.” The first sentence describes two events of a story, while the second sentence describes two events of a plot.   What's the Difference Between Story and Plot? As many writers and critics have noted, the essential difference between a story and a plot is that a story is a series of chronologically ordered events while a plot is a series of causally re...

Happy Sunday, everyone. This is going to have to be a quick one. As the official film networking and educational partner of the conference, it's been wall to wall for the Stage 32 team at the American Film Market (AFM), and this morning I am leading a talk on independent film financing with the CEO's of Hyde Park Entertainment, Bold Film, Cold Iron and the President of Millennium Entertainment. So, in short, time has been limited. But you know I wouldn't leave you hanging with just your coff...

Congratulations! You’ve booked your first gig as a director. Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into? If not, let's start this post with the traits of a successful director. Then we'll dive into the seven essentials for the beginning director.   A Little Bit of Everything: The Five Traits of the Successful Director Like many film directors, I learned the trade in the theatre. And everything I’ve learned over the course of 30 years and 50 directing credits in the theatre tran...

How does a screenwriter keep his or her momentum after they've completed a script? What do they do next as they wait to hear from potential investors or executives? RB answered this very question for Nicholas, a Stage 32 member and semifinalist in the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Contest. Nicholas garnered attention after his win, and wanted to know what he should do with the handful of inquiries and read requests he got as a result. RB gives it to him straight. And his response is true...

  Hope everyone's ready for the 2018 American Film Market which starts tomorrow. We're honored to be the the official networking and education platform of AFM for the 3rd year in a row. Everyone who purchases an AFM badge this year will receive a FREE Stage 32 Next Level Webinar! To purchase your AFM badge and get a FREE Stage 32 webinar, click here. As one of the most progressive conferences in the world, we're thrilled to be a part of it and look forward to an exciting week of events,...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army. It's been an amazing and rewarding week here at the Austin Film Festival.  Always a thrill getting to hang with so many Stage 32 filmmakers and screenwriters.  We'll have more on all the happenings from the last few days soon, but in the meantime, let's get to the coffee & content. Tony Gilroy has built a 20 plus year career by writing a wide variety of screenplays including NIGHTCRAWLER, TONY GILROY, THE BOURNE IDENTITY and ROGUE ONE.  Here's a screenwriting lec...

"For centuries, every agency, company, studio, and writer has relied on the Hero’s Journey as a standard for storytelling. But nonlinear, trans-platform communication has entirely disrupted that model. To rising generations, the standard tropes of classic storytelling have begun to feel slow, obvious, and dated. We yearn for a new, far more dynamic and participative approach…" Jeff Gomez, producer, writer, and CEO of Starlight Runner, is turning the Hero's Journey on its head with the emerge...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army.  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend and taking advantage of participating in Introduce Yourself Weekend here on Stage 32.  Let's get to the content. First up, as we all know, there's no one tried and true approach to writing a screenplay.  But, by hearing from those who have been successful and keeping an open mind, we might just pick up a tip or two that could lead to better habits.  To that end, here's Jay Duplass speaking to his screenwriting process. Next...

Nearly five years ago I started the journey to becoming a filmmaker. At the time I had a great job with benefits, three weeks of vacation, a decent salary, and great co-workers… ...but I was miserable. I wasn’t doing the one thing that burned with an unquenchable fire within me. All I wanted to do was make movies. Now mind you, I am a father of three awesome children and husband to an amazing wife. I have a mortgage, a car payment, and of course your standard American credit card debt. But...

Next week Stage 32 descends upon Austin, Texas for the Austin Film Festival. We are proud to be involved with the 2018 Austin Film Festival for the 6th year in a row! We invite our Stage 32ers to come join us!   Screenwriters Richard Botto & Shane Black (both managed by David Greenblatt) chat with fellow Stage 32ers at the 2017 Austin Film Festival   Screenwriter's Meetup @ Austin Film Festival We invite all our Stage 32 members for a fun night to celebrate the most creative community...